ic contact;

[orangehoodie]

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION | ETC.

Comments

[lowres]

[She doesn't think she's able to think of Ken as a freak. He's her friend and he has been so kind and helpful to her, to think of him as anything but Ken is impossible.]

My father is a powerful man. I did not tell him who you were, just that a classmate was also numbered. My father is powerful, and if he hears that you are numbered, I am afraid... I am afraid he might try to cause something bad for all of us. Because he thinks we are strange and we might not be human, and we might be contagious...

No matter what, no matter what echoes you have, or powers or memories, you are my friend. So please, always remember that you are not a monster.

[orangehoodie]

You're not, either.

You don't have to protect me -- I'll protect myself because I don't want to ruin my dad's life.

[He shakes his head. Even if he's not a monster, he still can't shake off the feeling that he's nothing good.]

If your dad tries to do something, tell me. We're friends, right? You don't have to do anything alone.

[lowres]

You must make me a promise.

[orangehoodie]

[It's starting to sink in why she's so scared now and he feels horrible for it. The Evoker's already dropped, and his hands are half raised, unsure what to do. He fucked up? He wants to comfort her, but how does he do it?]

... What is it?

[lowres]

You must promise that under no circumstances, you will allow yourself to get hurt.

this promise is a trap

[orangehoodie]

[He doesn't know how to answer that. In all honestly, he can't make that promise. He doesn't know. He thinks that if Nadia, or Matt, or his dad and his dad's girlfriend were to get into danger, he wouldn't hesitate to help. Even if that got him hurt by another snake, crushed by a building, or shot like Shinjiro Aragaki or Owen, he wouldn't stop. He couldn't bear the thought of letting something like that happen, of losing them.

But in a moment like this, even if it were a lie, shouldn't he promise? She was crying, after all.]

I can try.

always

[lowres]

I could not have done this alone. Please make me this promise. Only this one. Promise you'll do your best to stay save no matter what.

[orangehoodie]

I'm not gonna die. No matter what, you won't hear about me dead because of this.

[lowres]

You must promise!

[inretribution]

... I promise?

I came here to make sure you were okay and... what am I doing anymore?

[lowres]

... I am afraid to go back home. Can we stay away for a little while? [She doesn't want to deal with that right now. She doesn't want to deal with any of it.]

[orangehoodie]

[He will nod and get to his feet, tugging her up with him. And he'll grab the blanket and wrap it around her again, picking up his Evoker and putting it away. Then he'll hold out his hand.]

Let's go to my place. It's safer there.

[lowres]

[She will take it.] Your father will not be upset?

[orangehoodie]

Dad's never home before nine. He won't mind.

[lowres]

I don't want to cause you more trouble...

[orangehoodie]

I promise. You won't.

[He will hold her hand firmly, embarrassment forgotten, and will walk her home. It's not a long walk, just a little longer than it took him to get to Nia's house because he isn't running this time.

In any other situation he'd say something as he lets her inside ("it's not much, it's kind of empty, i didn't get the chance to clean it today"), but he's quiet about it as he leads her to the couch in the living room and lets her sit.]

Do you want something to drink?

[lowres]

[She shakes her head, sitting on the couch and trying to make herself very small.] I will be all right.

[orangehoodie]

... I'm sorry I scared you.

[He is. He feels terrible. His eyes are averted and he stays standing, hands hanging at his sides awkwardly. He should've known. He should've thought it through. Of course it would scare her. It scared him when Owen got shot. She didn't know it wasn't real.

He stands frozen where he is because every nerve in his body wants to run into his room but he can't just leave her here.]

[lowres]

[She shakes her head. She knows he was trying to help.]

I am more afraid of what my father will do... He has never liked us very much.

[orangehoodie]

... Hey Nadia?

[lowres]

[She looks up at him. She didn't mean to make him worry so much...]

What is it?

[orangehoodie]

If I'm not a monster, neither are you. If you get scared, tell me. I'll help you.

[lowres]

I do not feel very much like a monster. But I do feel strange. There's something in my chest that's tight... I don't think we are going to be safe for much longer.

[orangehoodie]

[He's silent. And then]

Bring it on.

[He finals lets go of the tension in his shoulders and drops down, sitting on the floor, rolling his head back with a sigh.]

Let him. If he tries to hurt you, I won't let him.

[lowres]

You should not put yourself in danger.

But I do not think my father would ever physically hurt me.